GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler: 'Not familiar' with Trump's infamous 2005 'Access Hollywood' tape

WASHINGTON – Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-GA., claimed Wednesday night she was "not familiar" with President Donald Trump's now-infamous 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape where he described sexually assaulting women.

Loeffler, who is in a tight reelection race, gave a vague answer when local reporters asked Wednesday if she was aware Trump had been recorded talking about groping women, after saying previously she'd never disagreed with anything Trump has said or done.

"Look, I agree with the approach President Trump has taken since day one to put America first. What I am focused on is working for Georgians in Washington and being their voice. And being a conservative champion for Georgians," Loeffler said in response, furrowing her eyebrows.

A journalist pushed back that Loeffler's answer didn't address whether she had any issues with Trump's comments in the "Access Hollywood" tape, to which she replied: "I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with that."

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The exchange was first reported by NBC-affiliate television station WXIA-TV.

Trump was recorded on a bus in 2005 where he talked crudely about pursuing a married woman and bragged about being able to kiss and grope women because of his fame.

"You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything," Trump said, going on to describe grabbing women by their genitals. The tape surfaced a few weeks before the 2016 election.

USA TODAY has reached out to Loeffler's campaign for comment. A spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Loeffler is a millionaire GOP donor whom Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by three-term Sen. Johnny Isakson. She was sworn in in January of 2020.

She is currently running against Republican Congressman Doug Collins, a staunch Trump ally, and several other candidates in a special election in November. This includes Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock, who is currently polling slightly ahead of the two Republican candidates.

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If no candidate gets 50 percent, a majority, the top two vote-earners go to a January runoff.

Earlier this month, during a debate, Loeffler was asked if the president had ever done or said anything she’d disagreed with. Her answer then was “no.”

Around 20 women have accused Trump of sexual assault. Trump has denied all allegations and originally dismissed the comments caught in the "Access Hollywood" tape as "locker room talk."

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kelly Loeffler: 'Not familiar' with Trump's 'Access Hollywood' tape